Your 23-month-old: Week 2

Your toddler now

Growing up

If it seems like your little one's growth has slowed down dramatically compared with her first year, you're right. The average child triples her birth weight by age 1, but only gains 3 to 5 pounds in the second year. By now, your toddler also looks much less like a baby. She's upright, she's mobile, she's active, and her baby fat is melting away.

The way she holds her body and moves around has changed, too. The back-and-forth gait of a young toddler has evolved into a smoother, more coordinated stride. By their second birthday, most kids can pull toys behind them and carry things while they walk, and they will begin to run.

We fill a big box with toys and store it in the basement. Every month, we rotate the toys. It eliminates clutter, and it's also like Christmas morning over and over again.

- Krista

The beloved pacifier

With your toddler's vocabulary and other language skills exploding, you may find it frustrating if she often has a pacifier in his mouth. The pacifier won't hurt her, but if you want to see less of it, you can try limiting it to certain times of day, such as naptime.

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